With just four days left in Pride Month, more than 3,500 Starbucks workers are making getting a cup of morning coffee more difficult for Americans, shutting down 150 stores amid stalled contract negotiations and the alleged removal of June rainbows.
“No contract, no coffee,” a group of rainbow-clad workers chanted outside the Cyprus Park, California, store in Los Angeles.
One employee, identified as “Cat,” explained to KTLA 5 why the employees are striking, and, despite the virtue-signaling attire, the LGBTQ+ angle appears to be an afterthought.
(Video: YouTube)
“We’re striking because we’ve been unionized for a year at our store, and we’ve yet to have a contract negotiated,” Cat said. “The company refuses to sit and bargain in good faith over our contracts.”
A fellow employee tells the news outlet, “We are understaffed, overworked.”
“Equipment doesn’t work,” she said, “and we’re expected to still produce the same amount of money and product, as well as management knowing that there are callouts and not communicating with us.”
“So it is, we are overstressed and overworked, and we’re expected to still produce the same amount with less people,” she stated.
It took the reporter specifically asking why they were all holding Pride flags for someone to mention the LGBTQ+ community. But, when prodded, employee “Rachel” hit all the right progressive notes.
“As a member of the LGBTQ community, I think Starbucks has taken down Pride flags in most stores, and I feel a bit lied to as a place that wants you to express yourself and encourages inclusivity,” Rachel said.
The reporter pressed Rachel, asking her, “How does this make you feel, knowing that these flags have come down, not just in this store, but in stores across the country?”
“It just shows that Starbucks doesn’t really have my back, or my community’s back,” Rachel replied.
Of course, had Rachel read the corporate website, she would have known that Starbucks “proudly raised the Progress Pride flag atop our Starbucks Support Center, and in thousands of our stores around the country.”
In a June 23rd statement, the company reaffirmed its annual affirmation of the “LGBTQIA2+ community.”
“Raising the Pride flag continues to be one of our proudest traditions. We do this each year on behalf of partners around the world, to affirm the diversity of our LGBTQIA2+ community and as a call for a more inclusive society – a call we have made since our founding,” wrote Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan and Executive VP and President, North America, Sara Trilling.
“We want to be crystal clear – Starbucks has been and will continue to be at the forefront of supporting the LGBTQIA2+ community, and we will not waver in that commitment!” the duo vowed. “Despite today’s public commentary, there has been no change to any of our policies as it relates to our inclusive store environments, our company culture and the benefits we offer our partners. We continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities including for U.S. Pride month in June, as we always have.”
The company accused the union, Starbucks Workers United, of spreading “misinformation” about the Pride decor.
“We must ALL have the same vision for how all people, including LGBTQIA2+ people, should be treated – with respect, support and allyship, because belonging is a core value,” Starbucks stated. “As such, we strongly disapprove of any person or group, seeking to use our partners’ cultural and heritage celebrations to create harm or flagrantly advance misinformation for self-interested goals.”
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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